dejagers@avusa.co.za

A GERMAN journalist who has been living in Port Elizabeth’s Walmer township for nearly two years says he loves the “friendly vibe” of the area and its residents.

Freelancer Christian Selz, 26, is so settled here that he has no immediate plans to return to his home town of Ilsenburg – instead he shares his experiences of township life with readers back in Germany.

“I like the vibe of the area. I can walk down the road, stop to chat to friends and there are always children playing,” he told Weekend Post from the one-room flatlet he rents from the Veto family in Common Street.

“In the 20 months that I’ve been living in the township I’ve had only one bad experience. I was at a tavern and a drunk tried to diss me because I’m white,” Selz said.

Beside this one incident, he said, he had experienced little racism in the township.

Selz studied journalism in Bremen, Germany, and for six months at City Varsity in Cape Town, before moving to Port Elizabeth.

His introduction to township life came via his volunteer work for Masifunde Learner Development, a German-sponsored educational programme which operates in Walmer township and with which he is still actively involved.

Increasingly smitten by township life, Selz first shared a home in Hani Street with three other Germans. This was followed by a month- long stay in Kamma Park, which Selz found “dull compared to living here (in the township)”.

“There I was alone. I didn’t know who my neighbours were and I didn’t even get to see the postman,” he said.

Selz said he admired the Xhosa culture and the respect young people had for their elders – even though not all elders deserved that respect. “You’ll see a number of old men getting drunk – I’ve seen some crawling on the ground because they were so drunk. This action is misleading for the youth.”

He said he was surprised by how many township residents celebrated their Sundays: “Here they dress up and go to church.”

Selz handles the media relations for Masifunde and also teaches journalism to Walmer High School pupils. The Masifunde programme enabled the pupils to start their own magazine last year.